New Hyacinth Bed for Spring 2010

'Open Sky' is close to my grape hyacinths and another clump of 'Open Sky' is close by a clump of daffodils. I have a lot that I will be planting this year and plan to add more bulbs too. Especially the large hyacinths after seeing the blue ones on this thread! The grape hyacinths came from my mom's house many years ago and have multiplied like crazy! Let me know if you need any! (they aren't named, just the old fashioned purple ones). I even have a blooming clump that is sitting on top of the ground (dug them up last year and forgot to plant them back!).

Debbie

Here is the other clump with daffodils.

Thanks for posting the pretty iris pictures! I'm always looking for nice perennials that bloom along with my bulbs and that 'Open Sky' is such a pretty bright and light color! I do have several other short bearded iris but they seem to be dark purple and not go with the purple hyacinths too well.

If you are into planting more Hyacinth orientalis I just read in Brent & Becky's paper catalog (last night when I couldn't sleep) that Anemone 'blanda' makes a nice 'shoes and socks' bulb-flower to grow in with the hyacinths. Here's the link for B & B anemone blanda (it comes in white and purple shades, too.)

http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/productview/index.php?sku=05-0109

And thanks for the offer of the muscari~~I do love them with the tulipa and daffs and have been able to grow a pretty good 'muscari farm' myself, but thanks very much!

I spent two hours dreaming over the B & B catalog hyacinths and such last night. I think I'm getting a little obsessed, but I do love the hyacinth orientalis especially because all the critters seem to ignore them! Oh, and they're pretty too!

I have just developed a 'taste' for hyacinths myself and will be adding more. I just can't cut them and take them in! I love to smell them outside but not inside! I plan to add a few of the blue ones that were talked about above (Blue Ice and Atlantic). I planted Haarlem (a yellow) but it is such a pale yellow it looks white. I have a couple groups of white NOID but want to plant some named ones.

I have made a list for B&B several times and keep going back over and changing it again and again!

I also have been stalking Scheeper's website for crocus and tulips....will add more of those this fall too!

How old are your bulb cages from Gardener's Supply? I've been buying from them for about 3 or 4 yrs. and get their catalogs.(.I swear they must send one every few weeks) and I have never seen this bulb cages. I've seen them one other catalog but they look flimsy and are expensive in my book. I've pulled off details how to make my own but somebody that had bought the hardware cloth/aka chicken wire made their own and said they ended up cutting their hands up with the wire and it wasn't worth it to make their own. Now do you have some type of cover for those? I've been looking in all other catalogs and can't find any bulb cages/baskets. The darn squirrels did the bulbs up.

I just looked in my Summer 2011 Gardener's Supply and couldn't find them either. so I did a google search and found them at White Flower Farm:

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/982498-product.html?utm_source=rkgkeywords&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=Spring20111220&utm_term=bulb+cage

BTW, I have just drooled over all the beautiful pictures on this thread. Absolutely inspiring! Great job, guys!!

Gardener's supply used to sell those nice bulb cages that Chris uses and I called them last year after seeing that they no longer sell that item and it states that if you do a search on their website. You'd think they would take it off their website if it is no longer available.

The ones at WhiteFlowerFarm seem costly to me and they don't look very strong;nothing like what Chris has. I was even thinking of "Trying" to make our own. Will give my husband something to occupy his mind ! Get him out of that recliner!

All of your pictures of your bulbs are so beautiful. Do you have Blue Jacket or delph blue hyacinths? I love that Magenta color or whatever you call it. Smashing!

Pippi, I didn't know how much Chris had spent on those cages, and honestly didn't think about comparing the construction, but think you're right about the inferior quality. GREAT idea having hubby maybe make some for you!!!

oddly enough, with all the other "critter problems" i have, i've never had bulb-stealers until this year. learned that the squirrels like only certain ones. they've dug up and gnawed on elephant ear bulbs--guess they're Hawaiian squirrels (? lol).... but obviously the bulbs were too big for them to drag off! ha! however, i did find a rain lily that was moved, so suspect 'someone' was burying it for a later meal. thankfully it bloomed before he remembered where he buried it!

i have daffs and hyacinths planted but have never had any of them disappear, so i consider myself lucky. considering relocating them to ONE BED, so i'm going to proactively put down chicken wire first, then bulbs and soil, and then more chicken wire. that should fix me up where i live, i hope.